Just You and Me, You and I
by Ame Chisei
Summary: "Don't worry... We're the same. "... A confusing story about two people who are complete polar opposite but has something in common. A Graire fanfic. Rated T because I said so XD Cover Image made by yours truly (Former Title: Alone)
1. 1st Chapter: Boy Meets Girl

**New story from moi~! XD I reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaly love the pairing Graire~! It makes my kokoro go doki-doki XD... My fanfiction library is not complete without a fanfic about GRAIRE!**

 ***Ahem* Anyways~! Please do enjoy this new fanfic *bows* and oh the Italic words= the character's thoughts**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon and its characters... :3**

* * *

1st Chapter  
Boy meets Girl

Spring, where flowers starts to bloom again and where a girl with blonde hair is bored in her apartment.

That girl lives by herself and she doesn't have that much friends to talk with but it's just enough for her. The only problem is she's tired of her life in the city.

One day, after she went home from her work, the blonde girl saw something interesting in the newspaper, an advertisement. Her eyes glow as she reads it.

 ** _'Tired of your current life?'_**  
 ** _'Want something for a change?'_**  
 ** _'Well, don't hesitate and do some farming!'_**  
 ** _'If interested call this number...'_**

Her mind is creating a picture of the farm that shown in the picture in the newspaper. She's imagining the things that she is going to do in that farm, taking care of her livestock, harvesting her crops, playing with her little dog, Scooby in her free time and lying down at the grass when she's tire from all of that farm work.

The girl didn't hesitated, she immediately picked up her telephone and called, the girl was overjoyed when she was told that she got the farm. The man from the other line asked her when she will go there.

"Tomorrow!" she replied quickly with pure excitement in her.

The man laughed and told her that there will be someone to pick her up in the harbor tomorrow after dawn. After putting down the receiver, she quickly packed her belongings and went to her landlady to tell her that she won't be staying in her apartment anymore starting tomorrow. The girl went back to her room to turn in for tomorrow. As the girl sleeps, she's dreaming, a dream that she saw earlier. She cannot get it outside her. The girl is so excited, she can't sleep, she tossed around her bed but no matter what she does, her eyes won't shut, and it remained open. The dawn is approaching but she's been in the harbor before dawn, waiting. At the horizon she saw an approaching boat, the girl knew that it's the ride she was waiting for. The boat stopped and the boatman saw her, he waved his hand to the girl which she replied with the same gesture.

"Are you the one who bought the farm?" he asked. The girl nods and smiled but the boatman is not satisfied with the nod she gave him as an answer. "Are you serious?"

The girl was confused. The man in front of her has a worried expression as he question her. She shrugged it off and just nods furiously. She boarded the boat after her small talk with the boatman. The sound of the horn of the boat echoed throughout the pier, telling its departure.

 _Goodbye City! Hello Mineral Town!_

It's the girl's first time to be in a boat and her first to be away from the city. She smiled as she smell the scent of the sea, the dog with her barked with happiness, it's just like it's telling her that it want a new atmosphere, it doesn't want to be in a city forever. The girl pats her dog and looked the ocean again.

 _Today is the new tomorrow._

The boat slowly stopped at the shore of the beach, the boat's horn has been sounded again, telling its arrival to the town. The girl got off the boat and the boatman told her the direction to the farm. She carried her belongings and whistled her dog to follow her. The girl was astonished to the beauty of the town where she is, the flowers are blooming, the branches of the trees are swaying with the wind and the flower petals are everywhere. Every step she takes it's just like she walking in the sky, she never felt amazed in her life.

She finally saw it, the farm that she wanted to see ever since yesterday but that entire happy image faded when she saw its horrible state today. Weeds scattered throughout the fields, tree stumps are still there and rocks, either small or big is everywhere and the house is small. It is so much different on what she imagined and what she saw on the newspaper.

Her dreams are now crashed, all she could do now is to sank to the ground and sob on the folly she just made. The girl regretted on believing what the advertisement said, she's too desperate to have a change of phase on her boring life, she didn't even thought of the consequences of her action. She can't go back now, all of her money is spent to buy the farm, she already handed over her keys to her landlady and she quitted her job as a waitress in a themed cafe.

A short man with a red top hat approached her, he appeared to be the mayor. He asked the girl if she's the one who bought the farm, she can't open her mouth to talk so all she could do is nod in her frustration.

"Hah! You have been fooled! I can't really believe that you fell for that advertisement!" he said while laughing to his heart content.

Irritated, the girl called her dog. "Scoob... Get 'im boy!"

The dog growled and barked at the mayor, he cowered in fear. He started running and her dog started to chase the mayor. The two of them ran in circles at the farm. The mayor cried as he pleaded for the girl to tell her dog to stop, she hesitated for a while but she decided to call her dog.

The mayor apologized to her for making fun of her because of she fell for that cheap advertisement and because of that ad, it made her quit her job and leave the city.

"What's the point...? I lost all of my money already..."

An idea suddenly popped up to the mayor's mind.

"Why won't you make the farm restore its former beauty?"

The girl looked at the mayor with wide eyes. She was surprised with the mayor's suggestion. He told the girl that she doesn't have to worry about the money she going to use to buy for the seeds, the mayor's going to care that.

"B-but! I don't know a thing how to run a farm! I only know is to plant and water plants but other than that! None!"

The mayor told her that not to worry about that too, he told the girl that there's a book about farming at the nearby library that she could read a thing or two about farming. Including the farming book, she could ask the people around the town for tips regarding on farming and at the same time, she could be friends with them.

Having no choice, the girl agreed to the end. There's no way back for her, her last resort is to run the farm she bought.

She went inside the house. The girl was surprised, it may be small outside but it's large in the inside, she's even surprised how cozy it is. At least the house cheered her up, there's a television, a bed, a cushion, a table, a chest for her other belongings and a bookshelf. She placed all of her bag beside the chest. While placing her bags aside, a knock on her door sounded. She immediately opened the door and the girl saw the mayor again, he told her that she should be greeting the people around because a word just spread around.

 ** _Someone bought the run down farm._**

The frustration from earlier had disappeared and replaced with a little bit of happiness. The girl nodded and she'll be out in a jiffy.

She went out of her farm, deciding to greet all of the people of Mineral Town. The first building that she saw is the Blacksmith's. The girl went in the establishment with a smile but two booming voice resounded, like two people are arguing. She peeked at door to confirm it.

 _They really are arguing._

An elderly man is screaming some words at the other person, an orange haired boy who wears a blue hat. Both of them are fighting with each, not caring if there is someone is listening at them. The girl felt that it's like she's eavesdropping on them, she turned her heel and started to walk away but the old blacksmith noticed her and called the girl. She froze as the old blacksmith called her, he's voice is so deep, deep enough to scare her. The old man called her again but she's too afraid to look at him, scared that he might hit her because she was eavesdropping on them or maybe he's scary because of his beard or maybe either of the two?

"Girl, why won't you turn around and talk?" the old blacksmith asked.

"Maybe because she's scared of you because of your voice is so deep that it scares her?" the young blacksmith complained.

The old man realized how frightening the tone of his voice, he laughed and told the girl that she must not be afraid of him. The girl felt a hint of gentleness at the old blacksmith's voice, she turned around and gave him a small smile.

She approached the counter the old man opened his mouth to talk.

"Are you perhaps the new farmer?" the blacksmith asked with a smile. The girl nods and the old man chuckled but the young blacksmith was surprised. "What? The new farmer is a... girl?" he questioned the girl with suspicion.

The girl could do is to stare straightly at the young blacksmith's eyes. She's not planning on answering his rhetorical question. The old blacksmith yelled some sense to him and apologized to her, she just smiled and told the old man that it's alright and there's no harm done. The girl looked at the young blacksmith again, he averted his gaze from her and it looks like he pouted.

"My name is Saibara, and that stubborn young man is my hard headed grandson, Gray." he stretched out his hand, offering a hand shake to the girl.

She took the old blacksmith's hand and shook hands with him. "I am Claire... Nice to meet you Mr. Saibara, sir." she introduced herself with a smile.

Saibara, the old blacksmith, yelled at his grandson again, telling him to introduce himself properly. He snorted and stood up and walked in front of Claire, looking down at her.

Gray towered the girl, he's so tall. Claire looked at the ground, she gulped quietly while the young blacksmith continued on looking down at her. He outstretched his hand and introduced himself but the girl didn't lifted her head, she remained looking at the floor. The young blacksmith tapped his shoes repeatedly, showing his irritation with the blonde in front of him. Perhaps knowing that the guy in front of her is now irritated... again, she outstretched her hand and shook his hand.

Gray heaved out a sigh of relief and went back to his work bench. Saibara shook his head, showing his disappointment in his grandson.

 _A good way to make a stupid impression... Nice._

The old man apologized at Claire again and told her the purpose of his humble establishment. After Saibara's explanation, the girl bowed and bid a farewell to old blacksmith and to the young one too, she doesn't want to be rude like Gray is.

After she went out of the Blacksmith's, she inhaled for a fresh air, all of the intensity inside of her was from the atmosphere she got from the blacksmith's grandson is slowly disappearing.

Claire pats her face lightly with her palms and smiled to her heart's content.

 _I mustn't show a frown with the people that surrounds me! I have to show my smile to them! Because that's the best thing that I'm good at... Making people smile!_

And she continued on introducing herself on every person on Mineral Town.

* * *

 **How was that? Not (REALLY Very Bad!) bad for a start, right?**

 **If there's a typo, don't be afraid to tell me :3**

 **PS: I'M A POTATO!**


	2. 2nd Chapter: Starters

**Hey hey~! The potato is back~! First of all, I want to thank 2 people who reviewed the first chapter of this fanfic~!**

 **Mentions:**

 **YellowMoonFlower: Glad yah like it ^_^ oh and thanks for following this story**

 _ **and to...**_

 **lumenite88: OOOOOOH~ Thanks for zee compliment... Hohoho. I will really continue this~! _PS. All potato must stick together!_**

 **Disclaimer: You know the drill XD**

* * *

2nd Chapter  
Starters

It's been 2 weeks after Claire had been accustomed with her current life, she made new friends and the girl enjoyed being covered in dirt while doing her farm work, the blonde had not realized it until now. She might not be in good terms with Karen but when it comes to Gray... it's a really different story.

Whenever they bumped to each other in the streets, Claire always greets him, of course with her heads down but Gray never greeted back, he'll just past by her and it ends up where the blonde farmer to look only at the young blacksmith's broad back. The only time she can only greet him properly is when Gray is sitting at the library or at his grandfather's shop sometimes at the inn, of course when he is sitting.

She wanted to be friends with him but Gray... he always rejects her. Claire doesn't want to go back where she have friends but never talk to her. She never felt so happy to have friends before but that happiness is not enough for the girl, Claire want to be happy more and the people around her at the same time.

 _When will that happen?_

The girl is walking back to her farm from the store when the noise from the Blacksmith's was louder than before. Claire stops on her tracks and waited what will happen next, for a few seconds it got quiet and the noise came back again.

 _They're arguing again._

Claire heard the blacksmith's door opened furiously and Gray came out, stomping his feet while storming away from his grandfather's shop. The girl tried to ran after the young blacksmith but realized it will be wrong, it's like she's prying at Gray's life. She ended up stopping in front of Saibara's shop. The girl stared at the path where Gray ran when Saibara came out and saw Claire standing in front of his shop with a worried face pasted at the blonde farmer's face. The old blacksmith tap her shoulders invited her inside.

Inside the Blacksmith's, some of the tools are at the floor. The old blacksmith rubbed his temple with his two fingers and apologized to the girl. Claire wants to ask what happen but she doesn't want meddle with Saibara's and Gray's problem with each other.

"That kid... He always pushes away the people around him." Saibara stated.

Claire saw the old man's expression, it's a pained one. She can see how Gray's grandfather is worried for him.

"Claire..." the old man looked at him "please be Gray's friend..." he said and holds both of Claire's hand, pleading her.

The blonde farmer smiled to reassure the old blacksmith in front of him.

"Don't worry Mr. Saibara... That is already taken care of. I am working on it.''

 _I have to give my all, even if it means facing my fear..._

After he walked away from his grandfather, Gray went to the place where his mind is more relaxed and where the girl he likes is there, the library. In her usual spot, the librarian just sat there, writing her book. Gray just sat silently where he always sits.

He always looked at her from behind, Gray have always admired the girl in front of him ever since she smiled at him. He likes her black raven hair, her ebony black eyes and how her slender fingers moves while she writes. The librarian never failed to mesmerize Gray, albeit she never wanted to.

Gray didn't realize he was staring at her for long. He shook his head and noticed something at the door, a blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes.

 _It's Claire._ He said in his mind.

"Oh Claire!" the librarian greeted the girl with a smile. The door to the library opened, revealing the blonde farmer.

"Good day to you Mary..." Claire greeted to the librarian.

Mary stood up, she trotted her way to Claire and hugged the blonde farmer. The librarian rubbed her cheeks to Claire's cheeks as she talk with her. The librarian treats her like Claire is her own little sister she never had including the fact that she's two years older and she's a little taller than the blonde farmer. Mary never had a friend like Claire before, in fact the librarian never had the chance to make friends until her father brought her to the town.

"You're just in time! Mum just baked a cake! I'll go get some!" Mary said.

Mary went to her house leaving the two in her library. The young blacksmith just continued on reading his book of choice and the female farmer remained standing, staring at the library, waiting for the librarian to come back. The two of them are silent for a while. Gray stole a gaze at the girl staring at the door, he sighed and pulled the other chair but, albeit Claire heard it, she didn't even react on it nor moved a muscle.

Gray stood up from his seat and poked her shoulders. "Hey... Maybe you should take a seat."

With her head's down, Claire thanked Gray for the seat he offered. He nodded and went back to his seat, Claire sat after him.

The two are stuck with an awkward silence again, neither of them spoke any single word nor a single letter. Gray is still reading his book while Claire is now staring at the table with her head's down. The young blacksmith stole an another glance at the girl with him.

 _Why do I like stealing glances at this stupid blonde?!_ He said in his mind.

Gray never had a good impression about Claire. Her head is always down whenever she tried talking to him, making it weird, the female farmer only looks at him straight whenever he's seated. He had never been annoyed in his life, a girl who talks with her heads down, a blabber mouth grandfather and an unstable life, what else that can make him more annoyed?

"Umm..."

He looked at Claire when she started to open her mouth to speak. Gray waited her to say something but she remained lip tight that made the young blacksmith more annoyed, totally ruining his day. Can't take the pressure that the blonde farmer that is giving him, he closed the book loudly but Claire didn't flinched, she remained impenetrable. Gray dragged his seat next to Claire, he peered at the tight-lipped girl with annoyance but the blonde farmer averted her gaze from him.

"If you want to say something, say it... Damn it." he declared with pure annoyance.

Claire clenched her fists on her lap and raised her head. She looked at the irritated blacksmith, full of courage and serious that made the young blacksmith surprised.

"Please tell me honestly," she paused, taking a deep breath "why do you hate me?"

The question that the blonde farmer threw at Gray made him more surprised. He never really expected Claire to ask such question to him, but why would he?

"What gave you a way?"

Claire looked away from Gray and looked at the books that are neatly placed at the shelves. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

"You always looked annoyed whenever I try to talk to you when you're here or your grandfather's shop," she opened her eyes and continued talking "And you always push me away from you..."

The blacksmith saw how pained is her reaction as she talks.

 _But I just act like how I naturally act towards others._ He said to himself.

As just Gray is going to talk, the door creaked open, revealing the raven haired librarian with a tray in her hands. Claire looked at her shoulder and she smiled, the blonde farmer ran to Mary. Claire sat back to her seat with a plate and a glass of cold soy milk in her hands. The librarian offered Gray a slice of cake and a glass of juice. The young blacksmith wanted to refuse but since it's Mary, he'll accept it.

 _For Mary! I'll eat this sweet cake!_ he screamed in his mind.

Gray looked at the girl beside him, she's happily eating the cake that is given to her by Mary. He almost smiled as the young blacksmith see that the Claire he sees now is like a child, she has icing at the corner of her lips and her cheeks puffing out like that while she munch on her food.

 _Cute..._ he said in his mind.

While she's drinking her glass of cold soy milk, she glanced sidewards, the blonde farmer wasn't aware that Gray's beside her but she's not expecting him to watch her eating.

"What?" She placed down the glass "Is there something in my face?"

The young blacksmith somehow realized that he's been staring at Claire while she's eating.

"None..."

He averted his gaze and he started eating the cake that Mary gave him. Mary on the other hand, she's happily observing as the two of them exchange few words.

After the two of them ate, the librarian took the plates and glasses back to their home leaving the two awkward people in her library... again. Regaining her courage, she called the young blacksmith's name and looked straightly at him.

 _Don't be scared!_

"You know... I don't want to pry in your problems and all," she looked sideways and to him again "but... What happened earlier?"

Gray was surprised but he's not surprised about how Claire knows that something happened back at his grandfather's shop instead he was surprised at the worried look that decorated the blonde farmer's face.

 _Like she cares... Well? Did she?_ The blacksmith said to himself in his head.

Gray doesn't anticipated Claire nor anyone to care about what is happening to his life, even Mary, even if it hurts him to admit it.

"Why the hell do you care?" he snorted.

"Because you're my friend!" she declared without hesitation.

The young blacksmith nearly fell off the chair at the blonde's declaration to him, even his UMA hat nearly fell off from his head at this. His cheeks flushed and he was speechless. Gray could see in her eyes how she's serious and about what she said.

"Do you even hear yourself?" he asked. "Geez"

Claire just nodded, answering Gray's question to her.

 _I don't believe this blonde in front of me..._ he complained in his mind.

The two has engaged into a staring contest. None of them batted an eye for a few seconds, their lips are tight shut. They want to say something but they choke on the words they want to say.

"It's gone quiet back there..."

The woman with a raven colored hair looked at her daughter who's sitting at a chair in their kitchen, resuming her novel.

"Maybe you should check on them... One of them might have been killed already and by what I mean 'One of them' I meant sweet Claire." Her mother said in a whispery voice.

Mary shook her head "Don't be so negative about Gray, mum... He won't kill Claire." she said without looking to her mother. "You're being ridiculous."

The silence between the two never broke but their staring contest is over. Gray is back reading his book and Claire just sat there, looking at the table in front of her, waiting for the only person who can broke the awkward silence between them.

 _Mary..._

The blacksmith is starting to itch to say something. He sighed heavily and loudly, trying to get the blonde farmer's attention which worked. She looks at him with confusion.

He inhaled deeply and opened his mouth to talk. "Why? Why do you want me to be your friend?"

The blonde farmer is in a silent state when she heard the young blacksmith's question.

 _Why do I want you to be my friend?_

* * *

 **Boom~! Done hahahah~! Took me a while to update ^w^**

 **Typo, wrong grammar etc, just tell me :3**

 **PS. I am a Potato and the Potato says that don't be afraid submit a review :3**


	3. 3rd Chapter: Similarity

**YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~! Back from the dead, no just kidding XD**

 **So, actually, I finished making the draft of this chapter a long time ago (haha) and just had the time today to finalize and update the story itself (i'm a hypocrite XD) before we go let me thank a guest that submitted a review, thanks so much, heart heart 3**

 **I actually changed the title of this FF, the current the title is much appropriate thank the last one (tehehe~)**

 **Without further ado! Let's go on with zee story!**

* * *

3rd Chapter  
Similarity

 _Why do I want you to be my friend?_

 _What is the reason?_

The blonde farmer is silent, choosing the right words in her mind. Tons of reasons was created by her brain, making her choose what to say to the young blacksmith but none of those will make him believe at it. Claire took a deep breath, hoping that she chose the appropriate one. "The reason why?" she looked at him straightly "It's because... I see myself to you..."

Gray snickered at her question, finding it funny, he turned around. The young blacksmith is laughing, he may be trying his best to contain his laughter but too bad for him. His shoulders are shaking which Claire drew a conclusion...

 _He thinks that it's just a joke..._

Annoyed and insulted, Claire stormed out of Mary's library. Gray decided to stop laughing and coughed, but it was too late for him if he's going to say something, the blonde farmer already disappeared without leaving a sign that she already let herself out.

After their encounter, something changed...

Days went by and the season summer is near. The days in the Blacksmith has changed. There's no sign of the girl who shyly visits the old blacksmith's shop. Saibara considered her aura to be reassuring and relaxing but now, she doesn't visit anymore nor she doesn't even go out of her farm for a second.

Saibara started to worry about what happened to the girl, Gray noticed this. Since the blonde girl's absence had disappeared, his grandfather never screams at him whenever he makes a mistake, he doesn't even care. The old blacksmith is just staring at the shop's door, hoping for the girl to appear and fill his shop with her aura even for a second. _This is good right?, he said in his mind._

Because of that, the young blacksmith's day at his grandfather's shop became quiet and calm. It's just like the world has taken a 360 degrees revolution to the sun that just took few days to make a complete revolution. But, the boy doesn't like changes. _Ironically... I missed the old man shouting at me..._

That is when the young blacksmith made his decision. He's going to see how she is doing at the past few days. He, himself admits it, he became worried about the blonde too. The young blacksmith always expecting her to greet him whenever they meet at the streets of Mineral Town or tries to talk him when he's at Mary's library. She doesn't visit there anymore too, making the librarian upset. Gray knows how attached and how Mary likes Claire that she even considered the blonde as her own younger sister. The librarian became so quiet and unresponsive and she never stopped from writing her novel. The young blacksmith is hurt to see Mary, the girl he likes act like that.

The day of his visit to the blonde farmer came. As he set foot at the blonde's farm, the world altered. The field is full of crops that is nearly to be harvest, the wild weeds disappeared from the fields and the barn and the other buildings are newly renovated, even her house.

Gray was so astonished that his jaw dropped. He can't believe on what he's seeing right now. The barn that is a total wreck now looks like a paradise... almost. The young blacksmith almost forgot why he's at Claire's farm. He looked around once more and there by the stream, Gray found the person that he wants to talk with. The young blacksmith is just about to walk towards the blonde farmer when suddenly she stood up and turned around. Her eyes went wide when she saw Gray by the entrance of her farm.

The young blacksmith saw Claire doesn't looked amused the moment she saw him, the blonde farmer averted her gaze and started to walk towards her house, not caring Gray's presence in her farm. Gray was stunned, he didn't anticipated Claire for her to ignore the heck of him. A large pang of disappointment has been delivered to his chest, it's like he doesn't believe that the girl who ignored him is the real Claire. The young blacksmith didn't realize that the blonde farmer just enter her own house, he was dumbfounded and flabbergasted by the girl's sudden change.

The young blacksmith walked in front of her door and knocked normally, but the girl didn't answered. Gray knocked and knocked, no one answered. Irritated, he started banging the door while screaming her name and as just earlier, she didn't answer. With his last fist landed the door, he slumped his shoulders in defeat, surrendering on his intention to have a talk with Claire. "Fine!" he screamed "If you're not going to talk to me, then I'll do the same!"

Gray stayed for a little help, hoping for the blonde farmer to open the door to talk to him, but Claire remained inside.

The blonde farmer was leaning her back at the door, hearing the retreating steps of the young blacksmith. Her body slowly sank down the floor and Claire let out a sigh of frustration. Wasn't this is the one he wants? The very reason she acted like that is because of him. Gray made fun of her, he treated her like a joke and that hurt Claire deeply.

"What was I thinking?" she took a deep breath "They are right, that man doesn't have any hope on making friends." She slowly stood up and looked through her window to confirm if the young blacksmith really left already. "I guess," she placed her hand to glass "You really are a dirtbag."

As she let out the words of resentment, a single drop of rain fell from the sky. Claire looks at the sky, it's dark and cloudy, it's like the sky is representing what she feels now. This sucks...

One after another, the rain started to fall from the dark sky, populated with angry clouds continuously, without a sign of stopping. "Damn her..." the boy muttered under his breath. The young blacksmith is lying on his back on top of his bed, thinking.

After his failed attempt to talk to the blonde farmer, he marched his feet to the library, the second place where he always find his inner peace. When he entered the library, Mary sensed him. He runs to him and asked him a question, a million questions about Claire. Because of he failed to talk to her, he didn't managed to answer any single question, which made Mary squint her eyes and ignored him. "Why do you know I tried talking to that blonde?" he asked.

The librarian stopped writing for a second, "I stopped by the Blacksmith to run an errand for mum," she fixed her glasses "then your grandfather told me." she continued writing.

Gray was a little bit happy and a bit sad. "Well she did talked to me," he muttered under his breath and then looked at the ceiling.

He bit his lips, Gray is so frustrated on what happened to him today and what made it worst is, it's raining. The young blacksmith never thought that the room he is in now never been that big because of he's living with two more bachelors in a same roof and same room, but now... It's just empty, nothing but the sound of pitter-patter of the rain is the only sound his hearing now.

He closed his eyes, hoping that he falls asleep but as soon as Gray did that, the young blacksmith saw the face of a blonde farmer looking at him with anger.

"I'm home..."

The door opened with a squeak, revealing a brown haired boy with a sad look in his face. He looked at his roommate who is sleeping in his own bed. He sighed at this sight.

"You're frustrated about your work again, huh?" he asked to the boy lying on the bed.

The young blacksmith snorted and shook his head, telling the brown headed boy that he's wrong. He got up and faced his roommate with a grumpy look pasted in his face.

"That's unusual," the brown headed boy looked at the window "whenever you are stressed out like that, you always use the reason 'Work'."

The boy continue to watch the rain drops in the window while waiting for the young blacksmith to retort like he always does but the young blacksmith didn't fight back.

The two of them just listened to the sound of the pitter-patter made by the continuous drop of rain falling from the sky. Many minutes went by and neither of the two moved or cringed, they remained at the same spot, the young blacksmith sitting at the edge of his bed and the brown headed boy watching as the rain drops at the same time listening at the sound it makes every time it drops.

"Claire..." he muttered.

"What?" The brown headed turned around to face the young blacksmith whose head is down staring at his white bed sheets.

"Claire," The young blacksmith took a deep breath and look at his roommate "blame her."

With those words, the blacksmith tucked in his white sheets and forced himself to sleep. The brown headed boy was dumbstruck on what he heard straight from his roommate's mouth.

"Blame Claire? Huh?"

He looked at the window again and continued to watch the rain to drop.

"Mary... How's Claire?" the woman asked while preparing their dinner.

"I-i," she dropped her pen and placed her chin on top of her palm "do not know."

While chopping the garlic, the woman sighs, showing her frustration. The librarian followed her suit and looked at the window. "Arara~... It's raining today," she rolled the pen back and forth on the table "I hope she not working at this moment."

The woman sat beside her daughter and patted her head. The librarian looked at her mother and saw her loving smile. Seeing her caring mother smile made her feel at ease. Her mother hugged her close "I'm sure Claire will come out of her hiding spot soon," she stroke her daughter's head "but I do hope that the reason why my darling Claire is like has nothing with that foolish boy."

"Mom," she pushed her mother and looked up to her "I hope the dinner you are cooking doesn't taste like how it smells now." The woman widens her eyes the moment she realized that she left the dinner she's cooking unattended is now burning, she immediately stood up and checked the pot. Her daughter laughed at the sight of this.

3 days had passed after Gray's visit in Claire's farm and the blonde farmer remained cooped up in her farm and house, not even her shadow is not seen within the streets of Mineral Town. Everybody, including the young blacksmith is worried about Claire.

"How long is she going to shut herself from us?" the orange headed girl complained with a growl.

The librarian placed her glass with nearly emptied beer down their table and let out a sigh "I have no clue."

Mary, Ann and Cliff are having a conversation while drowning their selves with booze, except for Gray who's just sitting at the middle of Cliff and Ann, quietly drinking. The waitress happened to be free that night and invited the other three to have a pleasant conversation and drink some beer while they're at it. She didn't have to invite Rick and Karen, they are always at the inn every night, and drinking together at the same time prevents Karen from making a commotion.

"But," the librarian trailed off and emptied her glass.

"But what, Mary?" the waitress reached for the librarian's glass and refilled her glass with beer.

While drinking her beer, the librarian traveled her eyes to the silent blacksmith. The waitress followed Mary's eyes, seeing Gray, she got the idea why the librarian didn't replied to her question. The waitress just sighed. Confused why Mary became silent, Gray looked up and raised an eyebrow. The other 3 with him are just there, silently drinking. Ann silently refilled Mary and Cliff's glasses.

She sighed "I think I got an idea."

Three of them looked at him, confused on what he meant.

"You think it's my fault, right?"

Ann and Cliff didn't answer while Mary finished her beer in one gulp then slammed her glass in table loudly. "Well? It is, right?" she looked at the blacksmith with a serious expression. "After I went back to check on you two, you and Claire are not on the library anymore. After that, she didn't went out of her farm again."

The young blacksmith clenched his fist under the table, holding back his anger. He didn't want to shout on the librarian. Gray tried to calm down then he spoke. "Look, I didn't do anything or some sorts to her, sh-"

"-that is what you think."

The blacksmiths voice was interrupted by someone. All of them looked for the owner of the voice.

"C-claire." Gray mumbled.

* * *

 **There yah go! So? What can yah say? hahaha~!**

 **PS: The review button of this fanfic is itching for you press it XD**


	4. 4th Chapter: He, who is to blame

**ALO! Back, back, back! My back hurts XD**

 **Mentions:  
FanfictionFun831: I know right? I feel the same way about them! I like it because they looked so natural together and.. Gray is a tsun-tsun XD. Thanks for telling that there are some grammar mistakes... hohoho~ I'll do better next time *PEACE!***

 **So anyways! On with the show~**

 **PS:** _ **Italicized words are their thoughs.**_

* * *

4th Chapter:  
He who is to blame

The girl they were longing to see suddenly appeared before them, with an umbrella in her hand.

The librarian jumped to her and hugged the blonde farmer. Claire smiled and she returned the embrace of the librarian. Ann, in verge of tears, ran to her and greeted the blonde with a smile on her face. Cliff remained on his seat, a smile pasted on his face while Gray just stood there dumbfounded. "It's been a while..." the young blacksmith stated.

"Yeah..." Claire looked at him with emotionless eyes that made him cringe a little. Mary, still hugging the blonde farmer, raised her face and looked at Claire, she too saw how emotionless her eyes are.

"I knew it!" the waitress walked to Gray "You have something to do with Claire hiding in her farm!" The blacksmith frown at what Ann said, he just sighed. Gray turned his back and started to walk away.

Claire swished the droplets of the rain off of her umbrella "Coward." she loudly but softly said.

Hearing this from the blonde made him turn around and face her. Gray looked at Claire and saw a disgusted look from her face. She looked up to him, literally and gripped the handle of her umbrella tighter than before. "Why can't you be a man and face your problems?!" she yelled.

"Well! I kind of facing at it in a moment like, right now! Literally!" the blacksmith retorted back.

The two glared at each other silently. Gray grits his teeth and on the other hand, Claire bites her lower lip. The three silently look back and forth the blacksmith and the blonde farmer, they can almost see the two throwing daggers and knives at each other.

"Claire!"

The blonde was interrupted by a familiar and old voice, she looked at the person who called her to confirm it. "Saibara!" Claire called the old blacksmith with glee.

The blonde farmer ran to him and the old blacksmith spread his arms wide. Claire hugged him and Saibara returned her embrace. Gray on the other hand, frowned as he sees this unfold before him. Finding an opportunity to escape the blonde girl questioning him, he tiptoed his way up to his bedroom on which he failed, his grandfather noticed him scramming the scene.

"Hey!" He yelled "Don't you run off, you stubborn young man!" The old blacksmith stomped making his grandson curse under his breath and giving up on escaping. The three sat with Saibara on the middle while Claire and Gray looks on different direction.

 _Damn... This so awkward._ The blacksmith said on his mind.

"Here yah go!" Ann arrived with three mugful of beer and placed it on top of their table.

"It's on the house!"

The blonde blinked "I-i don't drink."

"It's that so? How about some grape juice?"

"Um..." Claire looked sideways "Do you have some strawberry juice or an apple cider?"

Ann smiled "Well, we certainly don't have any strawberry juice but we do have apple cider! I'll bring you one right away!" The blonde farmer returned the waitress' smile and nods. Ann immediately returns to their kitchen.

Saibara and Gray begun to drink their beers. Claire is so amazed on how the two drink their beer in unison. As the young blacksmith put down his mug, he saw how awed the blonde farmer was. Her eyes are sparkling with interest, Saibara laughed as he saw the expression Claire has in her face.

"You seemed amazed my dear," he paused and touched his beard "you are amazed by how fast I drink my booze in one gulp?"

"Uh... Yes?"

 _Actually I am amazed how the two of you drink in unison._

The old blacksmith laughed again "I want to teach you but you are too young to drink booze."

Claire giggled "I'm already 20, Mr. Saibara."

The old man chuckled "Just call me Saibara," he smiled "but it won't hurt if you call me 'grandpa'."

Gray nearly does a spit take as he heard this. The blonde farmer smiled as he heard the old blacksmith's reassurance. Saibara cleared his throat "Anyway," he looked at Claire which made her sit straight "what is the reason why you are all cooped up in your farm?"

The blonde farmer lowered her head and didn't reply while the young blacksmith is just looking at the stairs, wanting to lie down on his bed upstairs. Claire couldn't say the fact why she did that is because of Gray. She was hurt when the young blacksmith just laughed on what she said and she thought he's not going to take her seriously, ever. But what the blonde farmer said was true, she sees herself in Gray but she experienced much worse than Gray has.

"It's because of Gray!" Ann declared as she slammed an opened bottle of apple cider on the table.

The young blacksmith widens his eyes and dropped his jaws as he heard the waitress' declaration. Saibara frowned and glared at his own grandson. Sensing that his grandfather is glaring at him, he shook his head in denial. "I have nothing to do with it!"

"H-"

The blonde farmer was about to talk when Karen covered her mouth, not letting her talk. This time Mary took the stand and started talking. She explained to the old blacksmith that it started the day after Claire visited the library, the librarian is even surprised when she returned, the blonde farmer was not in sight. Mary thought that after leaving Gray and Claire alone at her library, something might have happened between the two of them and she thought that if she leave the two alone, they could have been closer than before but her plan backfired.

The old blacksmith has his eyes closed while listening to the librarian's explanation, not paying attention that the blonde next to him that is trying her best to uncover her mouth while his grandson pretended not to listen.

"BWAH! Gray has nothing to do with it!" Claire screamed after she was released from Karen. All of them, including Gray looked at her. "He has nothing to do with it." she said, much calmer than before.

Saibara placed his hand to Claire's shoulder "Claire, my child," he paused "if Gray has done something wrong to you, don't cover for him. Let him know what he has done."

"No!" the blonde farmer stood "I'm telling you! He did nothing wrong or some sort!" Gray's eyes widens as Claire defends him from Mary and Ann, especially from his grandfather, Saibara.

 _Why? Why is she defending me?_ The blacksmith asks in his mind.

The blonde stole a glance at him and took a deep breathe, "It's just me," she paused, choosing the right words to say, "I just let my emotion run wild and uncontrolled," she looked down "I decided to cool it down by cooping in my farm."

"Claire, my child."

"So please," she looked at the old blacksmith with teary eyes "don't blame Gray... He really doesn't have anything to do with this."

The waitress looked at the librarian and mouthed what to her. Mary just sighed and comforted the blonde farmer. She just couldn't resist Claire.

Gray looked down, feeling guilty. He really did something wrong, he hurt Claire's feelings, he laughed at her. The young blacksmith thought that what she said to him back at the library was just a joke, it never crossed his mind that someone will care for him, especially a girl. Waves of guilt hit him as he pondered about it.

"I think, I'll go home now..."

The voice of Claire has brought Gray back to reality, he stole a glance to the blonde farmer. He saw how sad and pained Claire's expression is.

 _Was that because of her lying to protect me?_ He said to himself.

The librarian grabbed her wrist, "You're not going to coop up in your farm again, are you?" Claire shook her head and looked to Mary "No, I won't. You'll see me and I will see you tomorrow."

The waitress crept behind the blonde girl and hugged her, "Well yah better be Claire! We missed hanging at with yah!"

The blonde girl smiled "'Course... I'll come by after I'm done with my farming job and stuff."

Ann loosened her embrace and watched Claire as she reaches for the door but before she opens it, she took a quick glance to the young blacksmith. Gray saw it, making them having an eye contact even for just a second. The blonde girl then turned to the door and opened it, making the sound of falling rain to enter the inn.

Gray thought that the tension has disappeared but he was wrong. After the blonde farmer left, the air of tension returned but much heavier than before. Ann walked to him, "You're lucky that Claire came to defend you." she said while glaring at him.

The librarian stood and walked to them and restrained Ann from trying to punch the young blacksmith, "I don't know what's gotten to Claire," this time she's the one who is glaring at the young blacksmith "but take a note of this, if she's hurt again and if and only IF I learned that you are the reason of it, you don't know what's coming to you. Even if the two of us are friends. Childhood Friends!"

He widens his eyes for a moment then looked down at the table again. He gulped quietly.

The young blacksmith can't believe on what he heard from Mary. Mary who's always been sweet, compassionate and nice to him when no one is and Mary who makes his heart beats fast, who makes his pulses run wild, makes his brain fuzzy and laggy and making him to forget all the thoughts of him being lonely and alone in the world. That is only the first time she has been mad at him and what makes it worst, it's because of a girl who who just came here and she just knew for 3 weeks!

It's like the youngsters of Mineral Town has turned against him because of a blonde girl who came from the city. They are making him a bad guy, a villain, even Gray's dream girl. Seeing this unfold in front of him, in front of his two eyes, has made his mind to be clouded by lots reasons why and why he should be alone.

"I want to excuse myself." he muttered and walked past by the two girls who are glaring at him earlier.

Even when his head is down, he knew that their eyes are following as he went upstairs into his room. "Ugh!" the waitress stomped "What a nerve! Oooh! That boy makes me so angry!"

"Ann..." The old blacksmith stood and placed his arm to the angry waitress "You shouldn't be so hard to your little brother." he whispered and sighed under his beard "You know that he's stubborn and hard headed but I know that he won't do something horrible to little Claire."

The waitress dropped her jaw for a second "But gr- I mean Mr. Saibara!"

"But even if he did hurt the feelings of Claire, I know that was not the boy's intention, heck he wouldn't even know that he has done something wrong. You should know that." Ann sighed in defeat "Fine... I'll restrain myself for further more blaming Gray."

The old blacksmith nod then left the inn. It was exact 9 in the evening, the time the inn closes. Mary left quietly and Rick left with the drunk woman at his arms, ready to throw up anytime. Cliff went to their room while Ann cleaned the place up with her father Doug.

Gray just lay on his bed with his hand on his eyes, blocking the light coming from the ceiling. He thinks about what just happened downstairs earlier. The young blacksmith will be recognizing as 'the person who made a blonde girl who just came here cry'.

 _Did she even cry?_ He said internally.

"Hey there man." Cliff called him, closing the wooden door behind him as he enters their room. "How cha' holdin'?"

"Great... Just great." the young blacksmith sighed. "Here to gloat on me dude?" The brown haired boy flopped down on his bed and looked at the ceiling too "'Course not. I'm here because this is my room too you know." he chuckled.

"Whatever."

"But now I know why you had told me to 'Blame Claire'. But," he looked at the young blacksmith "why would I blame her?"

Gray sighed, irritated by his roommate's question, "Why ask me that now?" Cliff shrugged "Dunno. Maybe I just wanted to know your side of the story."

"There are no sides Cliff. Mary said it all." Gray huffed.

"Pffft." the brown headed boy snickered "Of course, well, for you." The young blacksmith turned away from his roommate "Do me a solid Cliff. Will you let it go and shut up."

"Sure."

 _He sure is talkative for a shy boy.  
_

* * *

 **Two chapter updates in one day? Whooo that's tough!** _  
_

 **I know you are itching to give a review XD.. Mmm... K'bye... XD**


	5. 5th Chapter: Blue Fear

***sigh* So stressed in school XD**

 **Nevermind that! Just enjoy!**

* * *

5th Chapter:  
Blue Fear

After the night of their encounter, the life of the blonde has return to normal but for the young blacksmith, it didn't. Ever since that night, the way Mary treats him has changed. Whenever he visits the library, the librarian never says 'hi' to him anymore, not even a word. She just sits in her regular place, writing her novel. Her new actions to him have made him a sad sack, but he does not show it to others.

But ironically, he's relieved that Ann stayed the same, as if nothing happened that night, but he do wished that she could have removed her habit of clonking him in the head every first thing in the morning.

"Good Afternoon!" the blonde girl greeted with enthusiasm.

"Claire!" the librarian ran and hugged her "Nice to see you again!" The blonde girl giggled, "Mary, we just saw each other yesterday."

Mary looked to her and pouted. The blonde just giggled and the librarian released Claire from her embrace. Claire went upstairs to look for more books to read.

That is just her first time to go upstairs, she can't believe how big the room is. The room was filled with numerous bookshelves with different books in it. The blonde can smell which book is old or not, following the smell, she pulled out the book from the bookshelf and took a seat in a chair nearby. Before she could ever start reading she noticed a blue glimmering thing by the chair in front of her, she stood up, leaned at the table and picked it up.

 _It's a little gem, a little blue gem_

Her eyes sparkled as she stares at the small blue gem in her hand. Looking at the gem she gets an idea who left it there, the only question is, did he drop it in accident or in purpose? Whichever it is, he's going to realize that he lost his little blue gem eventually. Just as she put it in her pocket, a carrot colored hair appeared from her vision. It is the young blacksmith, he returned to see if he dropped his gem.

The blonde girl immediately went back to read her book and acted as if she did not saw anything like a little blue gem nor she took it. The young blacksmith scanned the room and his eyes first landed on the blonde, busy reading a book by the table, like she doesn't have a care in the world.

Gray walked across the room quietly, trying not to disturb Claire from reading. He searches for something around the room, the blonde farmer watches him as he frantically search the room for something.

 _Probably for his little gem._

As the young blacksmith walk around the room, here and there, Claire's eyes follow him secretly.

Gray sighed. "Where could that be?" he muttered.

The young blacksmith sighed again. He gave up on searching and started to go down. The blonde looked downstairs and checked if Gray left. Claire noticed that Mary did not say goodbye to him and let him left just like that.

"Hey Mars." she went downstairs "Something the matter?"

"Huh?" the librarian stopped from writing, "What makes you say that dear?"

Claire cocked her to the side "It's just... This past days, you're not acting like your usual self... To Gray."

"I assure you Claire," she smiled at the blonde "I am my usual self."

"Okay?" she looked sideways and played her fingers with the gem at her pocket. "Anyways, I should be going now Mars. Scoob needs his dog food. See yah tomorrow."

The blonde girl waved her hand and then left. After she left, the blonde went to the Blacksmith's. She opened the door, before setting her foot at the shop, she scanned the room first before entering Saibara's shop, making sure no carrot headed boy is in sight.

"Claire, my dear!" the old blacksmith called her "Great weather we are having, no?"

"Hi Saibara." she waved.

"Hmmm..." he touched his beard "Gray?" the blonde nodded "He went out not just a moment ago. Frantically looking for um- something." he averted his gaze from the blonde farmer.

Claire placed her hand to her pocket and took out the small blue gem that she found back at the library. "May I ask if this is what he is looking for?" the blonde brandished the gem to the old blacksmith. "I found it by the library."

"Seems like it." he said. The blonde gave the gem to Gray's grandfather, he stared at it for a while then set it aside. Claire smiled and turned her heel but just as she was leaving, the old blacksmith spoke.

"That gem," he touched and combed his beard "was owned by Gray's mother, my daughter, Mari." he then looked at the gem again. "She gave it to Gray before she died."

"Oh..." she looked away "I think I wasn't allowed to know that Saibara. It doesn't feel right."

The old blacksmith chuckled "Okay dear, I'm going to say no more."

She giggled "I think I'll be on my way now." before she reached for the door handle she turned around and face Saibara "But thank you for letting me know some of Gray's past. Oh, by the way, if Gray asks you why the gem is with you, just tell him that a some concerned citizen of Mineral Town has returned it to its rightful owner." she said with a smile pasted on her face.

"Sure, thanks for returning it Claire."

The blonde nodded and left his shop. She sighed the moment Claire reached her farm, the blonde is worried about Gray... again. Worried about how he is holding up now that Mary treats him so much different than before, she knows that the young blacksmith has a major crush to Mary.

 _This is my fault_

"No luck..." he said under his breath as he enters his grandfather's shop "I can't find it everywhere. I already retraced my step but still nothing."

"My boy, are you looking for this?" Saibara showed him the tiny gem. The young blacksmith ran to the counter and grabbed the gem from the old blacksmith's hand. "Wha? Why is it here?"

"Why else? Of course someone returned it."

He cocked his head to the side "Who?"

"Ugh..." Saibara scratched the back of his head "Someone..."

Gray narrowed his eyes, knowing that his grandfather is hiding the truth.

He might be a great blacksmith but he's bad at concealing facts from me or to other people. He thought.

As he observes his grandfather, bit by bit, he is getting the idea why Saibara is not telling him the person who returned the gem. There is only person who can make him like that, it only takes a sweet, polite, kind and blonde girl to make him like that. Only one person fits that description of his.

 _Claire._ He hissed at the back of his mind. The young blacksmith ignored his grandfather's new but temporary behavior and decided to set his foot to the blonde farmer's farm... again, for the second time.

 _I hope what happened the last time I visited won't happen again._ He said in his mind then sighed.

Here he goes again, in her farm. He looked around, seeking for a blonde farmer named Claire. The young blacksmith stepped further in the blonde's farm and looked again but alas no sign of Claire. Gray thought that maybe she is inside her house. As if it has a mind of its own, his feet brought him in front of the blonde's door, he knocked calmly. The blonde just came out of her barn, she just finished brushing the fur of her cows and sheep when Claire noticed a boy with blue hat is standing in front of her house, he appeared to be knocking on the door.

 _Good thing Scoob slept at the barn or else he's probably became Scoob's chewing toy._

The young blacksmith kept knocking and knocking, but no one answered, he is starting to make assumptions that Claire is couping up in her house again but he ignored those thoughts and tried knocking again.

"Who's there?" the blonde yelled.

"Ugh... Claire, it's me, Gray."

She snickered "Oh it's you..." the blonde snickered again "What brought you here Gray?"

"Uhm... I just want to talk you, maybe you could open your door, please?" he scratched the back of his neck.

"Why may I ask? I have done nothing or some sorts to you as far as I can remember." she yelled again.

"Look I just want to talk to you and," he cocked his head to the side "why is it that you are yelling and why is it feel like that you are just behind me and laughing at my stupidity and naivety?"

The blonde snickered "I don't know. That depends on you." she yelled again.

Gray looked behind him and saw the blonde girl, laughing while covering her mouth with her hand. The young blacksmith just sighed and walk to Claire. As the blonde girl see Gray walking towards her, her knees weakened and looked at the ground.

"Hi..."

"Yeah... Hi, Gray..." Claire greeted him, head down. "So whacha' doing here?"

"I just want to, thank you..." he replied, looking at her blonde hair, "for returning the gem."

"Hah? What are you talking about?" she said, still looking at ground.

Gray sighed, "C'mon, I know you're the one who found it."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

The young girl started to walk away, avoiding more question that will the young blacksmith is going to throw at her. Gray, not wanting to lose this opportunity, ran after her and grabbed her wrist to stop her from walking away from him. Claire stopped but did not turn around, she continued on looking at the ground. Irritated, the young blacksmith turned her around to face him but the blonde is persistent, she's still looking at the ground. Seeing her like this, Gray sighed in frustration.

"Why do you like looking at the ground? Do you like looking at the ground that much?"

She just shook her head. "Then why? Tell me..." he looked at his hand, strongly gripping the blonde's wrist "Whenever you're trying to talk to me by the streets, you're head's always looking at the ground but whenever I'm at the library, you can talk to me normally, why is that Claire? Why is that?"

"I'm afraid of tall people..." she mumbled.

"What?"

She inhaled deeply "I'm afraid of tall people... I'm afraid when tall people, such as you, towers me, it gives me goose bumps." she finally said it.

"Oh~..."

Finally realizing that he is scaring Claire, he crouched down to Claire's eye level. After he crouched, the blonde farmer looked at his eyes and smiled nervously. "Sorry Gray... I just don't have the courage to tell you... I'm afraid that you'll just laugh at me... again..."

He patted her head "No, it was I that I should be sorry. I got the wrong idea why you're always like that towards me. I thought that you were just forcing yourself to be friends with me..."

I feel ashamed. He said to his mind.

"No!" she yelled, startling the young blacksmith "Uhm... I'm neither forcing myself nor pretending to be friends with you Gray... I really want to be friends with you!"

The young blacksmith widens his eyes, surprised on what the blonde in front of him just said to him. He cannot believe what he just heard. A person, wanted to be his friend, what's more, a girl asked her.

"I understand if you don't want to... I-"

"No... I'm just... I... I would like that." he said while he averted his gaze from him.

"Really?" the blonde smiled "That would be great you know!" she giggled.

Gray looked at the blonde girl, smiling in front of him. Their faces are so close that he can see her eyes, her shining sapphire eyes, shining in broad daylight. The two of them stare at each other, not caring if someone is watching them as they engage on their staring contest.

"Uh... You said that you're afraid of tall people because they are towering you right?"

"Uh-huh." she nods.

"Then, why is it that you're not like that when we were talking at the inn last night?" he asked, still looking at Claire's eyes.

If you call that talking, that is.

The blonde blinked "I always forget my fear whenever I'm angry."

"So that's why."

The young blacksmith smiled at the blonde... for the first time. Seeing him smile at her made Claire smile too, and blush too. Realizing how close they are, Gray distanced himself from Claire and laughed nervously.

"Hey... Do you remember the reason I am here? Because I can't seem to remember why."

"Nope." she said, playing dumb, seizing the opportunity.

The young blacksmith rubbed his chin "Hmmmm..." he looked at her "Okay... I think I'll be on my way now."

Claire watches Gray as he leave the farm but suddenly he turned around and smiled. "Thanks anyway Claire! For returning the gem!" the young blacksmith smiled again.

The blonde farmer was dumbfounded when she heard him say that and when he smiled at the second time. Only she could do is sigh in defeat and put on a small smile in her lips.

Later that night, the young blacksmith cannot stop thinking about the colors of the blonde eyes. He cannot forget how it twinkles with the sun, it reminds him of a woman that he used to know. A woman who gave birth to him, who took care of him with so much love for twelve years, who gave his blue hat with a word 'Uma' in it and the one who left him crying over her cold and unresponsive body, how could he forget it? She was the only one who had looked at his eyes straightly, without fear but with love, so much love. She looks at his eyes so much that the color of her eyes had left an impression to his mind. Moreover, just by looking straightly at the blonde's eyes today has reminded him of his own mother.

He looked at the tiny blue gem in his hand. A blue gem that reminds him of his mother and Mary. In his perspective, the gem reminds of... Claire, now that he had seen her eyes in close distance today.

 _Wait... he shook his head. The gem was suppose to remind me of Mary not that blonde farmer!_ He mentally screamed at himself.

He sighed and flopped down on his bed.

"How I miss mum so much..." He muttered as he slowly drifts to sleep.

* * *

 **FF is my salvation XD**

 **Reviews, criticisms and recommendations? I always welcome them.**


	6. 6th Chapter: Friends?

**Hi yo! You know, 'tis been 5 moths since I posted this fanfic here and I could say that i'm pretty thankful to you guys that you kept reading it or even just viewed it (No sarcasm applied) even though I've been (almost) on Hiatus and rarely updates this fanfic but still! Thanks guys, for those who have seen this fanfc and submitted a review~! *SMOOCHIE!***

 **( _italicized words are the characters' thoughts_ )**

 **Without further ado! Enjoy!**

* * *

6th Chapter:  
Friends?

It was six in the morning when Claire woke up and started her day with a smile on her face. She feels like she can do all of her farm work all day but she knows that she is not allowed to do that because it is a sure that Trent- or rather Doctor, as the people of Mineral Town mostly know him, will be angry at the young blonde farmer.

But it does not change that it's still an exquisite day for her especially when she and Gray finally become friends, well, she not really sure if the two of them are friends for real, Claire didn't heard him to say words of agreement like 'Yes', 'Sure' or 'Okay', not a even nod. So now, a question swirls in her mind. Is she and Gray are already friends?

All day while farming, that question still remained in her mind. _Maybe I could ask him?_ She asked herself. The young blonde shook her head, removing the occurring question in her mind and continued her work in her farm.

 _On the other hand..._

Gray, he has this small smile on his face ever since he arrived in his grandfather shop. The smile did not left him even when he is working and even when his grandfather scolds him, he did not make any rebuttal to Saibara, the young blacksmith just worked in silence with a small smile pasted in his face. For Saibara, seeing his grandson smile made him happy at the same time creeped out. Well who wouldn't be? The old blacksmith is so freaked out he probably might ask _'Did Ann sneaked some poison in your food, boy?'_ to Gray.

As curious as he is, the old blacksmith paid no heed to his curiosity and continued his work. He knows that even though he's Gray's grandfather and he's his grandson, Saibara must not meddle with Gray's life much less to what's happening with his love life. _'My grandson can take care of himself.'_ he said in his mind. "But one thing for sure, it might have been because of Claire."

The young blacksmith goes on doing his work with Manna's earrings with a small smile that can be still seen in his face. However, just like Claire, a question popped on his min., What if Claire befriended him just out of pity? Or just because his grandfather ask her? He asks himself in his mind. He stopped from hammering and looks at the blazing copper. What if I ask her those questions? He asks to himself.

"That won't do." he sighed, "She'll probably say that I'm questioning her friendship towards her."

The old blacksmith looked at his troubled grandson "Hey there my boy. What's wrong?"

Gray blinked "Oh nothing."

Saibara glared at the young blacksmith's back "Doesn't look like nothing to me. You look like a middle aged man dealing with a midlife crisis." his grandson just shook his head "Don't just say no my boy, maybe that's enough work for you for today. You should go back to your room at the inn or spend the rest of the day at the library."

Saibara grabbed his grandson by the collar of his clothes and dragged him outside the shop. Gray just let his grandfather and did not showed any restraint. The young blacksmith sighed, he stared at the door of their shop for a few seconds and started to walk slowly, slower than a turtle and snail combined. While he walks, he stumbles upon the path to Claire's farm.

Sounds of peace and ease can be heard all the way from the farm to where Gray is standing. He took a step, and an another one and another, he then stopped. _Why do I want to go there so badly?_ He asks himself. Perhaps he is too desperate to know the answers to his question flying with his brain in the air. That same goes to blonde farmer.

Claire is sitting by the riverbank just by the farm's exit. She stares at her reflection in the water. _I look like an middle aged woman having a midlife crisis_. She said in her mind. The blonde farmer dipped her hand, the water ripples.

"Just like my mind."

Both of them are in a crisis, the same and both do not have enough courage to ask each other because of the same reason, One might question their good will and friendship the moment they ask. Claire is struggling with the young blacksmith's confirmation of friendship and Gray struggling with the blonde farmer's motive for asking his friendship.

The young blonde stood up, "I-i have to ask him!. I have to ask Gray!" she yelled. Gray heard Claire's yell. Ask me what? He ask himself. He ran inside the farm, unnoticed and found the blonde appeared to be throwing a tantrum like a kid. "If I don't, i'll regret it sooner or later for not asking! But if I did, he'll be furious and I'm going to regret it too!"

Claire paced back and forth while biting her nail and gritting her teeth. Seems like the both of us is in a same situation, Gray amusingly said in his mind. He smiled at the pacing young blonde by the riverbank, the blacksmith walk near her and crouched down to Claire's level, at the corner of her eyes she can see Gray beside her, crouching. She jumped at her feet and let out squeak.

"Gray! You scared me!"

The blacksmith snickered and smiled "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

When Claire heard him, she pouted like a child and squinted her eyes. The young blacksmith could not resist but to laugh at the blonde's childishness which made Claire to pout more. As Gray laugh, she noticed how it suits him to be more of a happy than to be a downer one. She stopped pouting and just stared at Gray as he laughs. He stopped laughing and saw how the blonde has been staring at him, the blacksmith cleared his throat to bring her back to reality.

"Was there something in my face?" he asked with a smile.

She crouched down "No, nothing."

"Then why are you staring?"

"It's just," Claire looked at the water "it suits you more when you smile and laugh than when you frown all the time."

A wind blows making Claire's hair dance through it with the petals of the flower of spring, the Moondrop Flower. Gray caught a petal between his fingers and he looked at it. "What is it that you want to ask?" he asked without hesitation.

The blonde farmer gulps and breathes in the spring wind, gathering her courage. It is now or never, she said in her mind. "Gray." she faced him, "Are we really friends?"

The question made him looked at her, but strangely enough, Gray is not mad at Claire's question, in fact he was glad to know that he and she are on the same page. The blacksmith chuckled "Of course. Were you asking that because I didn't gave any confirmation?" the blonde farmer nodded, he chuckled again, "And you thought that I'm gonna be mad at you when you ask me that?" she nodded again, Gray sighed happily, "Well, you know, I was thinking about the same thing."

The young blonde looked at him with a puzzled look decorating her face "Thinking the same thing?"

He nodded "Uh-huh. I was thinking earlier while I'm at work. I was thinking about me wanting to ask you of what are your motives for befriending me. But, what kept me from doing that is because of the possible bad outcomes like, what if I lose an opportunity of making a new friend or what if you will be mad because I'm questioning our friendship. So my grandfather drove me out of the shop to reflect on my question, well that is what I think the reason."

After Gray finished talking, Claire laughed for a few seconds and cleared her throat. "Guess we really are in a same page. Being insecure about one's opinion." she giggled, "I won't be mad Gray, if you want to ask about that, then ask away, I will not and never judge you, well that depends." the young blonde grinned.

"You do the same, and I'll do the same too." he smiled.

"So you were drove out of the shop?" Gray nodded "No wonder you're so early to go out of your grandfather's lair. Mary's library is not even open until 1 o'clock in the afternoon." The moment Claire mentioned the raven-haired librarian's name, a frown immediately replaced his smile, this alarmed the blonde that it wasn't a great idea to mention her name. "Sorry," she said immediately "it's my fault that Mary acts like that towards you."

He shook his head, "No, I'm at fault. It's natural for her to act like that because she knows that I'm the one who hurt your feelings."

"Y-you admit it?"

Gray nodded "Yeah. No matter what angle you look, it is my fault. I should've known better."

What the young blacksmith said made her smile. "I was at fault too you know, I got my emotions run too wild, I was always like that even before I arrived here."

"Do you have lots of friends?"

"Nope."

Silence filled the farm. _This is kinda awkward_. Gray thought.

"Well!" the young blonde clapped once loudly "Let bygones be bygones!" then she smiled.

Seeing her smile made the blacksmith smile too. "Right. So," he paused then looked at the sky "this makes us friends?" then he glanced at the young blonde "Right."

Claire widened her eyes for a few seconds and smiled "Of course!" she said with a nod.

Silence filled between them as they watch the sky, watch the clouds goes by and change shape, it was not awkward nor a suffocating silence, it is just regular silence.

"So," the blacksmith started, "you said that you," he pointed at her, "who is so friendly don't have a lots of friends?" she nodded.

Everybody will be surprised at that. Claire who is a gentle, friendly and happy-go-lucky girl is in fact always lonely and alone before coming to his town, that is what the blonde farmer told to Gray. The girl does not like to share some of her tales in the past to anyone but right now, she made an exception for the blacksmith.

 _Why?_ She asks to herself. Why indeed? Maybe it is because her heart told her to and maybe because she felt like it was okay to tell, they are friends now after all. But there is something shaky feeling came from at the very deepest corner of her heart that bothered but the blonde always shake it off her.

"Will you be visiting the library now?" she asks the blacksmith.

That question made him lose his cool, well for a second. He is guessing that if he is going to the library to visit the love of his life, there is a large possibility that Mary's going to ignore his existence in her library. The blacksmith cannot blame her, like what he said earlier, he is the one who is at fault. However, it sure split his heart in half when Mary ignored him. _I think that was a bit exaggerated._ He said in his mind.

"So?" she asks once more. The blacksmith shook his head "Nah... Maybe next time." Next time when Mary completely cooled her jets. But no one really knows when will that next will be. He noticed the blonde beside him is giving him a worried look. Claire's worried, how nice. No sarcasm applied. The blacksmith patted her head like a little girl and told Claire that it's alright and she has nothing to worry about.

But the blonde is not that dumb, she knows it's not alright. _I may naive, but I somehow, I'm getting the idea that Gray likes the raven-haired girl named Mary._ She asked him once more if it is all right and the blacksmith's answer remained the same.

Claire pouted like a kid and told him that it's not her fault if he died in boredom if he continue to spend his free and young time in her farm and watch her doing her farm work. As she said that, the ginger headed boy frowned. He may have frowned but in his eyes, she saw sadness.

"I'm starting to think that as if you don't want me in your farm." he stated. The blonde farmer widened her eyes at his remark and quickly shook her head. She told him that it will be just a waste of his time if he stay at the blonde's farm and watch her work, she's not done with those after all.

He shook his head, "I don't mind, really. It's pretty relaxing in your farm actually." he pulled the bill of his signature cap to cover his eyes, "I just noticed it."

What Gray said made her heart jump one time. _What?_ She said in her mind. The blonde shrug it off and displayed a smile to him and thanked the blacksmith for his compliment.

An hour passed after she finished all her farm work, she thanked the Harvest Goddess and God for today's harvest, even though she just foraged it from the mountains, the blonde needed to for her money to grow so she can afford buy enough seeds for the next season.

Half an hour ago, Gray said his farewell to Claire and returned to the inn, probably to wallow in sadness because he did not saw Mary today, much less she wanted his presence in her library.

However, what was that earlier? Sure, it was rare for the blacksmith to give compliments, to her including but there was something else. I cannot put my finger on it. Oh well. Whatever it is, it does not matter.

 _Or is it?_

* * *

 **Done! Phew! More Drafts to go XD**

 _ **You know, you may fight back the urge to submit a review but it won't last~ JUST KIDDING!**_

 **-雨**


	7. 7th Chapter: Grassy Conversation

**I haven't updated my fanfics lately... *sigh* I always got sidetrack.. Such as Otomes, RPGs and schoolwork... XD**

 _ **Italicized words are the character's thoughts**_

 **ENJOY~!**

* * *

7th Chapter:  
Grassy Conversation

Days have passed faster than anyone had imagined and summer is nearing, but not in someone's case. And by that someone is a blacksmith named Gray.

He still could not get the chance- or rather, he couldn't go to the library that is owned by a raven- haired girl named Mary. Why? Simple enough and because of two reasons, first, he does not have the balls to go. Second, lastly and mostly, Gray will be hurt because of Mary not acknowledging his existence and he knows that she don't want him or his aura in her library.

And now, he is stuck hanging out with himself at the inn. Why? Simple, the young blacksmith can't hang out at the blonde's farm, she has her hands full with the rundown place she called farm plus Gray and her just became friends, he doesn't want Claire to think that he's being too familiar with her.

And Cliff? Forget about him, he is too shy and timid to talk to, he only speaks in phrases, and sometimes Cliff just shrugs. In short, he's boring to talk to. And the brown- haired boy might probably at the town church, saying his prayers to the Harvest Goddess and to the Good Lord or he's just sitting on a pew, either pretending to be praying or doing absolutely nothing.

He let out a sigh. "It sure is boring", the blacksmith whispered, albeit he is only alone in the room. Who wouldn't be bored when you are just staring at the ceiling? Everybody will be, right?

Thankfully, his obnoxious grandfather did not scold him when he failed to make a shape for the gem he is going to use for an earring. Saibara might have known that his obnoxious grandson is suffering, emotionally. That was a good thing and that lift his spirit even though just a little.

There are only two people that the blacksmith can only communicate easily and they are busy with their lives. He's back to his old self, being an alone boy. _What a bummer_ , he said. The blacksmith rolled and tousled on his bed, looking away from the dusty old ceiling, he's trying to sleep his boredom away, but alas, Gray's blue eyes remained open, his eyelids didn't even dared to close. He rolled and tossed on his bed, again and again at the point that his bed sheets has been removed from its mattress.

The blacksmith shot up and his bones made a popping sound but he ignored it. _Darn it! I'll just go to the mountains!_ He did what he said in his mind.

Gray was on his way when he came across with the blonde farmer. His eyes landed at the big basket she is carrying and it was full with different ores. Wait... Did she just mine those rocks? Mostly are copper ores and there are some silver ores in it.

"Hi Gray." she greeted. He greeted her back, his eyes still at the ores in the basket. The blacksmith can see that the ores are the good ones, not like what he usually mines. Gray is so fascinated by how a girl can mind such good quality ores and he sounds like a sexist now.

 _What's wrong with him?_ She asked in her head.

The blonde farmer is on her way home from the spring mine. She just finished mining some ores, since spring will end tomorrow and summer will begin tomorrow too, she removed all of her spring crops already. And now this happened.

Claire is so happy that she got so many good quality ores, albeit she frequently mines junk ores. What made her happier is that she mined herself 2 gold ores. It was beautiful, so she kept one of them and put it in her rucksack to place it in her shelf and the other one, she's going to give to someone. The blonde farmer carried the basket with pure joy and she is on her way home when the blonde crossed paths with Gray. Claire saw him at the distance.

He is walking with his hands on his khaki pants, his deep blue eyes downcast with his infamous UMA hat covering it. The blacksmith looked like as if a meteor and a meteorite hit him at the same time. She commanded her foot to stop but they refused her and kept walking to the blacksmith's direction.

Gray might have noticed that there is another person walking at the same path as he is now. He looked straight ahead and saw her but in a second, his eyes landed at the heavy basket she is carrying. The blonde greeted him which he returned but it seemed that his eyes are glued at the basket she's carrying.

It was like forever. The blonde can see how his eyes examine the ores at the basket. He's a blacksmith after all.

His eyes continues to examine the ores, not knowing that the blonde is still carrying the heavy basket. "Ehem." she said, clearing her throat to get his attention on which she succeeded to do so. Gray blinked many times and just realized that the basket Claire is carrying is in fact heavy, it is full of ores, duh. _What was I thinking?!_

"L-let me carry that for you!" The blacksmith snatched the basket from Claire's clutches way before she could ever reply. What Gray did made her giggled.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ He screamed to himself internally. And he call himself a man, the young blonde may be a farmer but she's still a girl.

"It's been a while since I saw you." she said, hoping to make a conversation and to know why he doesn't go to her farm anymore. The blacksmith just replied because of work. "Uh-huh."

It did not take a while for them to arrive at her farm but both of them felt like it was forever. Not even a word nor a letter had been said after Claire's question to Gray. She is not contented with the blacksmith's answer but the blonde does not want to press the matter furthermore, it might upset Gray or worst...

Claire thanked him and started to transfer the ores at the shipping bin. She was surprised that there is another pair of hands that grabbed an ore out of the basket to the bin. The blonde was pretty sure that Gray had already left her farm, but no, instead he insisted to help the blonde.

They put all the ores to the shipping bin in silent, again! The both of them are just so glad that it wasn't an awkward one. Thank lord! They both said in their mind. After they finished unloading and loading the ores, Claire thanked him, again while looking at the ground. Gray just tapped the bill of his hat and started to walk off when the blonde grabbed his hand. That made him turn his heels and look at her face- rather in her hair.

The blonde farmer reflexively looked at the ground the moment Gray turned around. She unhands him and reached for her rucksack, there she took out something that has been revealed to be a gold ore. Claire reached out her hands with the gold ore holding it to Gray, his eyes went wide and shone. The blonde can see the fascination in his eyes.

"C-can I?"

Blushing, she just nods. He took the ore off the blonde's hands and kneeled so she can look at him directly. He thanked her with a smile in his face and tousled her hair as if she is a little girl, well Claire is younger than Gray anyway.

The young blonde pouted and puffed her cheeks, somehow the young blacksmith find it amusing so he poked her cheek and chuckle, hearing him chuckle made her laugh. "Seriously though, thanks Claire."

She pfft-ed, "Aww shucks... You don't have to thank me."

They talked and talked for a long time that Gray had forgotten his boredom and his crisis while lying on his back on the grass under the apple tree, well... almost. Sensing the blacksmith's distress, Claire looked at him with a worried expression, he smiled at her and pats her head to reassure her. "Mary's still on your neck?" he gave the blonde a faint chuckle and gazed at the blue sky, "Can't help it, that's the way how she shows her anger." she joins him, "I just wish that Mary will let you go near her again, I don't like seeing you hurting and miserable. I know how much you like her."

He laughed for 3 seconds and shot up, "What?!". Claire sits and grinned, "Dude, it's way too obvious. The more you hide, the more it's revealed." Gray just sighed in relief and flopped down on the grass, "I started liking her since we were kids." he closed his eyes as if he's imagining it in his mind, "I don't know why but, it seems like I was drawn to her. The way she smile, the way she talks, thinks and her eyes looks into mine, it's all fascinating. I can't stop my feelings grow and grow whenever I'm near her."

The blonde sighs sadly, "And now, she avoiding you and you're miserable about it and it's all my fault." she said, blaming herself. Gray cracked an eye to see Claire.

She is looking straightly off distance with a sad look on her face and down cast eyes. The young blacksmith can't help to stare at the sad blonde, she reminds him of someone he used to know, especially that the two of them shares the same color of eyes. Gray sits up and patted Claire giving her a big smile, "You shouldn't worry about that Claire, she'll talk to me sooner or later." 'Eventually' he said in his mind.

"Gee, Gray." she placed her hand on top of his, "I didn't know you have the ability to comfort someone and make them feel better. And..." she trailed off, "You're smiling so many times today, it's starting to creep me out." the young blonde said and she giggled.

What Claire doesn't notice is that she haven't remove her hand from his. He can feel the girl's warmth that travels from her hand to his. Gray started to blush but oddly enough, part of him does not want Claire to remove her hand from his. Why is it that I feel something prickly inside of me? He asked to himself. Whatever it is, he just brushed it off, Gray cannot ruin his delighting day with Claire because of some strange feeling he encountered. I will deal with that later.

"But," she suddenly spoke, startling him, "I'll do whatever I can to make Mary talk to you again!". The blacksmith shook his head but she shook her head too and kept insisting. They keep arguing like that for minutes. What they do not know is that someone is watching them secretly.

She has a bag in her hands containing two slices of cake, two plates and two forks. The librarian thought that maybe today is a good day to have a chat with Claire and eat cake at the same time so she closed the library early. She was happily walking her way to the young blonde's farm, humming a tune with a sweet smile on her face. As she approaches her farm, she heard faint voices and the librarian recognizes it, the voices belong to Claire and Gray.

She first positioned herself by the gate of her farm and started to eavesdropped. The librarian kept standing there for minutes and when Gray is about to turn around, she panicked and jumped to the bushes to conceal herself. She still continued on eavesdropping, Mary took a peek to secure that no one is around and walked away from the bushes, she took a peek at the young blonde's farm too and it surprised her that Gray is still in her farm.

A big smile formed from her thin lips as she watch the two talk and bicker. She shook her head and decided to go home.

"I'll just try tomorrow."

* * *

 **So many drafts XD**

 _ **You know, the potato will be the happiest potato if you submitted a review... hehe~**_

 **-雨**


	8. 8th Chapter: The Plan

**Before we proceed to the story, I would like to give thanks to _hetaliagir998_ for the fave :D**

 **That is all, enjoy!**

* * *

8th Chapter:  
The Plan

After taking the last straw, Claire finally formulated a plan. She immediately finished all of her farm work and ran her way to the inn, the blonde bumped onto Gray and greeted him and continued on her way.

She loudly opened the doors that made the owner, Doug and her daughter, Ann startle, but in her case, she jumped off the floor. Claire quickly apologizes to the bearded man and quickly grabbed Ann's wrist, "Doug! I'm gonna borrow your lovely daughter for a few minutes!". As they about to go out, the door opened and at the doorway is the young blacksmith. He has a suspicious look in his face when he saw Claire dragging the waitress, "Nothing to look at here, forget that you ever saw us. Carry on." she jokingly said to Gray while mimicking a cop and she continued on her way, towing Ann.

"What was that about?" he said with a concerned tone, Doug just shrugged and resumed cleaning his glasses until it shine.

Outside, by the beach, there stood the two, talking. Claire asks her to help the young blonde for her plan for Gray and Mary. At first, she refuses, stating that the waitress doesn't want to involve herself to Gray but the young blonde is persistent, she kept begging and insisting Ann for it. Ann, cannot take it anymore, agrees finally, the waitress can't say 'no' anymore as Claire used her cute puppy eyes at her, who wouldn't be?

The young blonde jumped in joy once and cleared her throat, "As I was saying.". She told Ann her plan on how to bring Mary and Gray together again. "A date?", the waitress repeated, Claire nods. "So, what you want me to do?" Ann asked. "Simple! I want you to provide the food! Don't worry, I'll pay for it!".

"Hey can I join too?"

The two of them turned their heads to the direction where the voice came from. There they saw a cotton candy haired girl. She merrily skipped her way to them with her hair bouncing every skip she does. "I want to join to your plan!" Popuri said with a grin on her face,  
Popuri is a bright and cheerful girl who lives by the Poultry Farm with her mother and her older brother, Rick. She's the kind of girl who always enjoy life in every ups and downs, in short, a great example for being an optimistic person.

"And Kai wants in too!".

 _Kai?_ the blonde said in her mind. _There's no way that he's the same person that Popuri said._ She shook her head. _Lots of people has a name 'Kai', especially in Japan_. But the young blonde was proven wrong. A young tanned man came out of a shack beside Zack's house, her eyes went wide when she saw him, Claire rubbed her eyes, trying to believe that who she saw was just an illusion and that her eyes is just playing tricks but when she looked again, it was the same. Claire immediately turned her back.

Kai ran to Popuri's direction and said hello to the two. "Kai, you're early this year dude." Ann said with a smile, "Yeah, I got bored where I was so I went here earlier than I planned." the two of them fist bumped. Popuri seeing Claire with her back on them, she grabbed her shoulders, spun her around gracefully, and forcing her to face Kai, "Kai! This is Claire! She's new here and she's from the city!" Popuri introduced her with a smile.

"Claire!" he grabbed her hands, "Long time no see!"

The two comically dropped their jaws, "You knew each other?!" they both said in unison, he nods and placed an arm on Claire's shoulder and pulled her much closer to him, "Yup! Both of us went into same schools. Grade school, middle school, high school and same university, well... except 8th grade and 1st year, I transferred schools back then, but you get the idea!". They looked at the blonde and asking if that was the truth, she silently gave them a nod. "Gee! It's been years Ley! Where have you been?" he asks the blonde while pinching her cheek.

"Okay enough reminiscing."

The waitress swatted Kai's hand and grabbed Claire's wrist, pulling the blonde close to her. "So you two want to join or not?" she asked them, they nod, "Okay, Pop, you help me with the food since you're good in cooking and such and Kai..." Ann threw him a glare and sighed, "As much as I don't want to, you'll help Claire on whatever she's going to need you to work on."

"Aye, aye captain!"

Claire just rolled her eyes and smiled, "Okay! The date will be tomorrow, here at this very beach at evening for a romantic air and scenery, alright?". The other three nods and split into two groups.

Ann and Popuri started planning as they arrived at the inn. Several cookbooks, old and new, sprawled on top of their counter. The waitress silently skimmed through the book she's holding and Popuri skimmed it fast, page by page, Ann finally finished her first book, "Do you have any idea which food are we gonna cook, Pop?".

Popuri stopped and looked at her, "Steak? I remember watching a scene from a cheap romance movie where the two protagonist is dating and the guy ordered for their table and told the waiter, '2 steaks, medium rare and well done.'. I don't even know why I watched that movie, it was a total bore actually."

Ann shook her head, "No, it's too cliché, we have to do something fresh and new." she tapped her chin thinking. Rick's sister raised an eyebrow, "I thought that you're angry at Gray?". The waitress smiled as she opened another book, "You know that he's my little brother, I can't stay mad at him."

"Are you sure it was right to say that to me here? You do know that he was just upstairs and that was just supposed to be secret." she said as she continues to skim the cookbook.

The waitress smiled, "I'm not worried. At this hour, he's sleeping, so it's okay."

Yes, it was a secret being kept from Gray for an unknown reason that even Ann does not know. Popuri blinked, "If you say so.". The two continued to skim the cookbooks page by page. A few minutes of silence, Rick's sister spoke again, "Why did you paired Claire and Kai, Ann?"

"You have to admit Pop, besides making shaved ice covered in syrups, grilling corn and fish, ice cream, making fried rice and baking pie, Kai sucks at cooking and I can't possibly pair with Claire, she was the one who formulated this plan after all." she said still reading, "Besides, I know that Kai won't take advantage of Claire's naivety."

The cotton candy haired girl looked at the ceiling, "You got a point there." a smile crept up to her face, "Let's keep searching."

While the two continue and busy searching, the other two busy brainstorming but mostly the tanned boy is busy dillydallying and reminiscing on their past but Claire just ignored it.

"You really let down your hair and grew it out, Claire."

Kai combed his hand to her silky hair but Claire continued to ignore him. She was reading a magazine and piles of piles of it and few pocket romance novel that she found by the bookshelf was sprawled on her floor. The blonde silently read the magazine while biting her nail, she has a few ideas and Claire wrote it in a piece of paper.

"So, the time and place is decided, the table will come from the inn and I have tablecloths made out of silk with fancy patterns. The food, wine, wineglass, utensils and plates are okay too, all that is missing are the fancy candelabra and how are we going to lure them to the site."

The tanned boy pouted, tired of being ignored, he suddenly hugged Claire but she continued on ignoring him. "C'mon Ley. Just talk with me. I know that we have a lot of disagreements back then but you should let bygones be bygones so don't be mad at me."

Claire hit him with a book, "First, don't hug me and second, I'm not angry at you in the first place." she sighs, "Could you please focus on helping me?"

He took her hand in his, "As you wish, milady." and kissed the back of her hand which in response Claire karate chopped him on the head that made him bite the tip of his tongue.

"Always the smooth talker Kai." she said with a smile. "And you're still the same, a girl who always resort into violence." he smiled too.

"I know how to lure them."

 _…_

"I see that you've become friends with Mr. Grouchy McGroucherson, but how?"

The two of them are on their way to the library when he asks Claire a question. She threw him a glare. "What? I mean, I knew about your fear and Gray is a very tall guy, even taller than me.". The young blonde looked at the sky and watch the clouds as they move slowly move in the blue sky, "I don't know," she shrugs her shoulders, "somehow, I was drawn to him, like I'm seeing myself to him."

Kai stopped on his tracks that made Claire stop on her tracks too, she looked at him and saw that his mouth is gaped. Realizing what she just said, the blonde's eyes went wide and covered her mouth, "Not in that way! Definitely not in that way!" she corrected him while her face is flushed.

Claire turned around and carried on with her walk to Mary's.

It is true that somehow she was drawn to Gray, the way he acts towards to others. The blonde can sense that the young blacksmith that he's alone in the world, she was like that too back then, a lot of things happen in her life, bad things that she wants to turn her back on. That is one of the reasons why she went to Mineral Town and leave everything behind that she had in the city.

 _It is better to be a coward than to be a sociopath._

"Stay here."

Claire opened the door to Mary's library and it didn't even took a second until she spots the librarian, Mary is just sitting in her usual chair, writing her novel. It mystified Claire too that oddly enough, she has loved the different smells of books, new or old she's even surprised at her herself that she likes to read any book. Who would have thought?

"Hiya Mary!" the blonde greeted her with a big grin pasted in her face. Mary immediately look up after she heard Claire's voice and smiled, the librarian ran to her and gave her a big bear hug that Claire returned too. "Are you available tomorrow evening?" Mary nods, "Great! Hey, is a night picnic by the town beach sounds good to you? We can gaze upon the star while we're eating, how about it?"

Mary oooh-ed, "That sounds fantastic, Claire. According to the book I read, the perfect time for stargazing is at 9 in the evening so, how about we do it at 9 o'clock in the evening tomorrow?"

 _Gotcha!_ The blonde yelled in her mind, "Perfect! See you at 9 tomorrow." then she bid Mary goodbye, "Oh, I almost forgot! Don't worry about the food, I'll bring some okay?"

As the blonde exits from the library, Kai walk up to her with a nervous look in his face, Claire gave him an 'okay', "Geez Kai, don't worry about! I got it all controlled.". He laughed and then his face changed into a serious expression, "What about Gray?"

The young blonde started to walk back to her farm with her hand covering her mouth, thinking, the tanned boy followed Claire, "I can't ask him now, he's going to be more suspicious that before, unless..." she trailed off looking at Kai.

She knew how notorious he is when it comes to luring people, especially women. It is a good thing that she hasn't become his victim... yet. The blonde has to admit, that's one amazing skill that Kai possesses. Maybe, he can lure Gray, they do know each other and Kai's info gathering skill is far too good.

 _That might actually work._

"Is there something in my face?"

She shook her head, "No but I do need your help with this one Kai, will you help me?"

The two of them went separate ways went home after Claire told him her plan to him. _Why is it that she's so eager to help him?_ Even though that he and Claire were basically been together since they were little children, it's the same with Gray too albeit the two of them don't agree with a lots of lots of things.

He sighed, "If it wasn't for Claire, I won't be doing this."

* * *

 **I'm currently enjoying myself with the thing I just discovered XD**

 _ **Potato be happy if you submit review, *laughs like dumb a person she is*.**_

 **-雨**


	9. 9th Chapter: The Date

**Heya guys, I was raised from the dead, along with this fanfic.**

 **To Dolphinea- I am aware that you said that there's no need to thank you but I really have to thank you for submitting a review and saying that the story is great and that you like the previous chapter. Again, thank you~!**

 **With that said, please enjoy the new chapter of this fanfic.**

* * *

9th Chapter  
The Date

"What?"

He covered his eyes with his hand from the blinding light. The light suddenly disappeared and the young blacksmith just found himself lying on top of something silky. He touched it and found out that it's hair. 'Neat' that is all he could say, the young blacksmith stood up and the scenery immediately changed, he is now standing in a middle of the ocean. Gray didn't understand what's with the silky hair and the ocean but there is one thing that he's sure,

He's in a deep dream.

Gray started to walk and the ocean started showing images, images of his memories. He thought that the ocean might be representing his memories with his dear mother, Mari. Gray did say that the ocean reminds him of his mother's eyes to Saibara back then.

He walked and walked, the color of the ocean changes depending on the emotion he felt at that moment like his memory of his mother's death, the ocean is gray. The young blacksmith continued to go on until he encountered his most despised memories; the ocean fluctuated and is changing colors red and black. He started running.

As Gray runs, the memories that's being shown gets worst and worst and the sounds boomed, deafening him. He ran and ran with hands covering his ears and with his eyes close.

The sounds and voices got louder and louder every step he take. Gray tried to stop but his legs didn't listen no matter how hard he try to stop them until the young blacksmith is at the point of begging... to his legs.

A blinding light flashed in his eyes and he shot up from his bed. Gray breathing was so hard and fast, along with his heart beating so heavily in his chest. He was having a nightmare.

"Aren't you supposed to be angry at Gray, Pop?"

What Ann said made Gray fully awakened. He assumes that she and Popuri are downstairs of the inn, who appears to be talking about him. The young blacksmith just stayed in his bed.

"Yah, but, since it was her and I want to contribute some help with this, I'll join. But to be honest, I never liked his attitude one bit." she paused, "He thinks that he's always alone and always pushes everyone away from him. Not to mention that he made such an impenetrable wall around him."

He heard Ann gave a short laugh, "'Pushes everyone away from him'? Not anymore." then he heard Popuri laughed.

Everything went silent again. As he thought, nobody likes him, just like the people and kids he once encountered when he was a child, they all hated him but for once he knew the 4 out of millions of reasons why they hated him. Flashbacks of his worst memories appeared right before his eyes again.

"Dude you alright?"

The young blacksmith was surprised when he saw a tanned man beside him, wearing a worried expression. Gray rubbed his eyes and said 'what' at him, Kai chuckled, "As always, you're not so delighted to see me."

Gray rolled his eyes. "Not just 'not so', I'm not really delighted to see you everytime Kai." He threw him a glare but the tanned man just brushed it off by laughing, "C'mon dude, don't be such a glum to a guy like me," he said, making a 'puppy-eyes' look and the young blacksmith snickered, "To commemorate our reunion, meet me tomorrow by the beach tomorrow, 9 in the evening! We'll grill lots of lots of corn all night!"

Kai saw Gray's earlobe move as he heard the word 'corn' and 'grill'. The young blacksmith coughed, "Okay, I'll be there, just this once." Then smiled, "Since it's grilled corn." Gray whispered.

 _Well played me._ Kai knows when it comes to corn, Gray will never reject or back down, especially if it's grilled, in short, it's easy to bribe him.

So, part one of Claire's plan is now complete.

"Hey Pop! Here! I know what kinds of food to cook!" Ann showed her an old thin cookbook of Italian cuisine and was flipped through the 'Pasta' section. The cover of the book is tattered, several pages are gone and some are chewed by rats, and the letters and words are already faded. "Pasta! Everything is romantic with pasta!"

"Yah! Just like in that Disney movie!" Popuri cleared her throat, "This is the night, a beautiful night. Na na na na na~."

Rick's sister grabbed Ann by the hand and started dancing with her while humming the tune, the waitress just went with the flow. "You two sure enjoy what you're doing."

They both look at the direction where the voice came from, he was there standing by the staircase with his arms crossed and a smile formed on his face. Popuri laughed and so is Ann too. "You sure it's okay to discuss that here?" Kai asked.

Popuri just nod, "That person doesn't even know a thing what's coming!" The waitress cleared her throat, "Anyways," she grabbed the book, "I already crossed out the other pasta cuisines except for Carbonara, Ravioli, Lasagna and Spaghetti with meatballs." Rick's sister smiled and showed them what she found, "And we can use this recipe for making the dessert!"

Kai and Ann looked closely at the book and smiled, "Nice find, Pop." she said. "So Kai, since you're the only guy for our operation! You are to set up the tables, utensils and other stuff that requires your 'Manliness'." the waitress informed him as she teases him.

"Roger!"

God, they sure are loud. The young blacksmith said in his mind. He's still up and as usual, staring at the dusty ceiling. Even though it's unavoidable and it's just accidental, the boy cannot help himself on eavesdropping on what in the world they are talking and he could guess that they're talking about food. Maybe it's Ann's new gimmick for the inn so people won't eat the same food her father serves is, depending on what season. Gray continued to listen to them.

They continued to talk about food for almost 3 hours today and they didn't realize that it's already 7:30 in the evening, they didn't even realize that Cliff had gone back hour and a half ago. The young blacksmith suddenly got bored on listening at the three people downstairs that he became sleepy and at the same time, hungry. Because of his drowsiness caused by the 3 people talking about food, he slowly drifted to sleep.

A new day had come and it's the day that Claire's plan has to be fulfilled. The blonde, just like yesterday, she immediately works on her farm and waited until it was an hour and fifteen minutes before the designated time. She ran to the inn with a tablecloth made out of silk in her arms and she took an another route where she ran pass by the library, clinic, supermarket and the church.

Just from the inn's door, the blonde can smell something good and delicious. She opened the door and followed the scent; there she found Popuri and Ann, cooking. On the counter, there are three plates with spaghetti with meatballs, lasagna and biscuits in it.

Luckily, when Ann asked her father to close the inn early, he complied.

The blonde stared at it, her mouth watered and her stomach growled, ordering Claire to eat the food on the counter. She shook her head and ignored the complaining and hungry terrible beast that resides in her stomach.

"Mouth watering, is it not?"

A voice came from behind her and the blonde felt a pair of arms snaking around her waist and pulled her closer, hugging Claire. The blonde's eye twitched and pinched the hand that's resting on her stomach.

His hands involuntarily pulled away from her and he cursed. "Do you really have to pinch me that much?" he pouted, "You almost peeled off my skin."

"Then stop doing that."

Kai was about to hug Claire again when Popuri and Ann came out of the inn's kitchen. Rick's sister flashed a smile the moment her eyes landed at Claire and gave Kai a small shy smile. The blonde smiled at the two women and the beast in her stomach roared, getting the attention and reminding not only its master but as well the three people near her.

Their eyes widened and the blonde immediately placed a hand to her stomach hoping to silence the infuriating beast. Ann smirked and placed a plate with the spaghetti and lasagna, except it was a smaller serving. She insisted Claire to dig on the food; the blonde didn't have second thoughts and just wolfed down the food in front of her. A pretty reminder that when a girl is hungry and the food is free, she will only stop when she realized she's getting fat.

Without a matter of minutes, Claire successfully emptied her plate, as in emptied it real good, not leaving any sauce on the plate itself. The blonde knows her bad eating habits, especially when the food is free, so is Kai. After showing it to Popuri and Ann, all she could do is slump her shoulders in shame. But they just giggled, as if they saw something cute about it.

"I didn't know that you're so cute when you eat." Popuri said, covering her mouth in a lady like manner.

Ann grinned, "Yeah, the way your cheeks puffed! Ooh~... It made me want to pinch your cheeks while you are eating."

"I'll take that as a compliment?"

Kai let out a short chuckle, "Now that you had made a promising offering to the monster at Claire's belly and now she's well fed, I'll have you know that we only have half an hour before nine and i'm pretty sure that Sleeping Beauty will wake any second now from his night siesta."

Claire panicked, "Well? What are we waiting for? Christmas and New Year? C'mon let's go!"

They all run to the Mineral Beach. Kai set up the table and chairs, Claire placed the plates, glasses and utensils, Popuri whipped up the candles, napkins, roses and the center piece and Ann placed each food delicately on the table. They finished all this with 15 minutes to spare.

"Ok! On with phase 2!"

Ann and Popuri looked at her puzzlingly, "Phase 2?"

Kai just gave Claire a nod and ran in different direction. Phase 2 was pretty easy, well, easier when said, but simple. Kai runs to Gray, will tow him to Mineral Beach, if necessary and bail on him and disappear like a ninja, Claire will do the same but she has to wait a minute or two before dragging Mary to the beach.

Lucky for Kai, towing the blacksmith was not necessary at all, it seemed like he believe that whole corn thing. Pretty corny there, Kai sneered to himself in his mind. The tanned man doesn't feel any guilt about lying to Gray, not much of a surprise, all Kai have to do is give him a grilled corn and a glass of hot milk, served in a blue thick mug as a reconciliation gift and peace offering to the blacksmith.

As Mary open the door to her house, she was greeted by Claire, with a undrawable smile on her face. They walked slowly, enjoying each step on their way to the beach.

Uncertainty enveloped the blonde's mind. Bunch of 'what if's' popped up. Truth to be told, Claire just planned it on a whim and is not 100% sure about her own plan. She knows how smart Mary, the young blonde must be thinking that what if Mary already knew the plan she hatched? That the librarian just went along with it?

It all started a week ago, Wednesday, after her farm work, Claire went straightly to the library and bumped into Gray on her way there. For a second there, it kind of looked like the blacksmith was waiting for her but that would be completely illogical. The two of them ended up walking together on their way to the library.

Claire opened the door but just as she entered the library, she felt Gray not moving a muscle and has a distance between him and her. The blonde immediately got the idea, she pouted and towed Gray in hand. The librarian smiled, expecting Claire but disappeared when her black eyes landed to Gray.

Mary frowned and her day was ruined. The blonde looked at Gray and saw how hurt he is. What made the librarian more upset is that Claire just forgave him like that and they're friends like everything for them is all right and the worst is that the young blonde is actually holding his hand without volition.

The blonde just smile at her and continued to drag Gray upstairs. Claire let out a disappointed sigh and glared at the blacksmith who is sitting and sulking by the corner. She stomped her way to him and looked down at him.

"What the hell was that?"

He just pouted, "You know very much yourself about what just happened."

Claire grabbed a chair nearby slumped down beside the blacksmith, as if all of her energy was sucked out from her. The blonde abandoned idea of reading something because of what happened.

She knew that Mary is still angry at Gray but Claire never knew that it was never a good idea to anger the librarian, the blonde might have thought that Mary isn't a fan of the saying, 'let bygones be bygones'.

So, that's brings her here; hooking up two polar people with different perspective about each other. She felt guilty about Mary's treatment to Gray.

 _Good, Gray wasn't facing the entrance._

Just as they near the beach, Mary has an unpleasant expression on her face the moment she saw the blacksmith's back. The librarian was about to complain to Claire but the blonde vanished mysteriously.

Something inside the librarian felt that Claire has something to do about Gray being at the beach at that time. Unconsciously, her feet started to move towards the blacksmith. Mary did her best to make a unimpressed face and confronted Gray, asking him the reason why he's at the beach at such hour.

The blacksmith blushed and told her about Kai inviting him to grill some corns by his shack. Mary shook her head, obviously not amused. Everybody knows how much of a gullible of a person Gray is when it comes to corn, like his life is revolving on corn. But nobody knows that Kai can even bribe him, the two have some issue with each other and practically they are at each other's throat, well more like Gray is at Kai's throat for a perfectly unknown, probably illogical reason.

"This is ridiculous, I'm going home." the librarian scowled, turning her heel.

Claire elbowed Kai, telling him to light up the candles for illumination. The tanned man, like a professional ninja, lit up the candle, revealing the lone and out of place table in the middle of Mineral Beach. Fortunately, the light of the candle caught Mary's attention, so is Gray's.

Hiding at the shadows, Ann and Popuri looked at each other and nods. They appeared in front of Gray and Mary like a mushroom and insisted them to have sit. At first, the librarian refused but her stomach disagreed with her and demanded food. Hungry and having no choice, the librarian gave in and took a seat, opposite to Gray.

"So I guess this is an unintentional, arranged and forced date?"

Gray's cheeks reddened more and he pulled the bill of his hat to hide his flushed cheeks from Mary, "It has Claire's mark all over it. She even managed to pull Kai, Popuri and Ann with this crazy plan."

Mary giggled, "I guess that's because she's great at convincing people. And-"

She was cut off when Ann placed four plates on their table with spaghetti and lasagna. "Bon appétit!"

"What? No romantic background music?" Claire complained. Popuri shrugged and Kai has no reply but Rick's sister raised a violin that seemed to belong from her brother. The blonde grunted and jumped out from the shadows, "At Least those stupid violin lessons are of use... For now."

The young blonde snatched the violin from Popuri and started to play a piece of Beethoven Symphony No. 5 for a short rehearse and a gag and then played a slow and romantic melody. All of them was taken aback, Mary and Gray was surprised about the music playing out of nowhere, Ann was expecting Popuri to play a cheap romantic music that is commonly used in cheap chick flicks. Popuri and Kai did not expect Claire to play such adoring sound and at the same did not expect the blonde to play the violin.

Gray looked around trying to locate the source of such incredible melody. His eyes landed on a moving figure in the shadows. Even though he can't see the face of the figure but the moon illuminated its silky blonde hair, that's when he knew it was Claire.

The blacksmith's mind forgot that he is having a nice, slightly romantic, arranged and force date with the love of his life the moment he realize it was Claire. His attention was now to her. The melody that the blonde was playing made him remind of his own mother. For him, it's not a romantic melody but more like happy lullaby.

His heart raced, it was unlike whenever he's near Mary. It's a lot different than that.

"Gray? You alright?"

The blacksmith snapped back to reality when he heard Mary's worried voice. Ann threw a pebble him and glared, apparently telling Gray not to waste Claire's effort by being hypnotized by a melody. He gave the librarian a small smile and just nod. "She really did a good job arranging this."

Mary let out a short ladylike laugh, "I knew Claire will do something like this." she played with the meatball, "She does whatever she wants, including wanting everyone to get along."

"You made it sound she's some kind of a meddler."

Mary stabbed the meatball, "Maybe, but for me it was good thing and I meant that in a good way as possible."

For the first time, Gray smiled at Mary without embarrassing himself.

 _Thank you Claire._


End file.
